The U.S. Army conducted a three-day Fast Rope Insertion/Extraction System Master Course at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii in early October, training specialists for the 25th Infantry Division. The course, completed Oct. 5-7, aims to increase the number of qualified system masters throughout the formation.
Dense jungles, water obstacles and limited helicopter landing zones restrict how forces move in the Pacific. Fast rope systems provide an alternative to helicopter landings, allowing units to rapidly insert personnel closer to objectives and lower equipment into difficult-to-access areas.
The training progresses from classroom instruction on equipment and procedures through live aircraft operations. Students begin with introductory descents from a low platform, advance to a 40-foot tower with day and night training iterations, then transition to live aircraft operations.
Unlike rappelling, in which personnel are physically attached to the rope, fast ropers can quickly clear the insertion point and transition to their follow-on mission. A master in fast rope operations differs from a basic roper: masters inspect personnel and equipment, enforce safety standards and control the insertion from the aircraft, communicating with pilots and crew chiefs.
According to Army Capt. Liam Davenport, the air assault and fast rope officer assigned to the training program, a master must verify the aircraft's position and that ropers are prepared. "He's on the comms with the pilot in command and the crew chiefs, verifying that they're over the target grid," Davenport said.
A future goal is for organizations throughout the 25th Infantry Division to have qualified masters capable of supporting fast rope training within their own units, expanding the division's capacity to employ the capability beyond the training facility.